MILWAUKEE — According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), a record-breaking number of people are expected to travel this holiday season, and nearly 90% of them are driving to their destinations.

Ahead of that traffic rush, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) gave Spectrum News a look inside its Traffic Management Center in downtown Milwaukee. It’s where a team of dispatchers monitors at least 500 highway traffic cameras across the state in real time.

What You Need To Know

  • New winter road condition categories were unveiled on 511 Wisconsin

  • Check 511wi.gov for road conditions or incidents 

  • Officials said snow means taking it slow

Those dispatchers work around the clock to help first responders get to crashes and disabled vehicles as quickly as possible.

“Safety is core to WisDOT’s mission for drivers,” said Elizabeth Schneider, a freeway operations engineer with WisDOT. “The winter road condition layer is really key to that.”

WisDOT offers road condition descriptions to drivers on 511 Wisconsin, the state’s travel information service. It’s available to everyone at 511wi.gov or by downloading the 511 Wisconsin app.

However, this year, WisDOT changed the descriptions to make them more specific. The goal is to give drivers a clearer picture of what to expect. The roadway categories now include:

  • Normal
  • Partially covered
  • Completely covered
  • Travel not advised

Schneider explained that the previous system, which labeled roads as snow or ice-covered, could sometimes cause confusion.

“The information now about partially covered or completely covered is less to be misinterpreted by drivers,” she said.

The Traffic Management Center operates 24/7, working closely with law enforcement to keep roads safe and drivers informed.

Wisconsin State Patrol Captain Bradley Ocain said the more detailed categories will make a difference for travelers.

“I think it is going to give them a more up-to-date and accurate idea of what conditions on routes they are traveling are, versus how the old system worked,” he said

Ocain shared his most important piece of advice when driving in wintery conditions: slow down.

“Just be aware that when we are experiencing these winter events, we are going to have first responders working on our roadways,” he said.

Related Stories